Since being introduced to the market, there has been much debate — both in the beverage industry, and among politicians and the public — over the best way to collect non-refillable (single-use) beverage containers for recycling. With several European countries moving forward with deposit-return schemes to complement their existing collection models, CM Consulting’s Clarissa Morawski looks […]
Circular Economy
Dispatches from Europe: Is Brexit bad news for an evolving industry?
27 July 2016 – Last month’s decision by U.K. voters to withdraw from the European Union has generated a lot of questions over the potential impact on jobs, the economy and trade within the U.K. But for those in the U.K. waste management sector, the greatest concern is the potential impact of Brexit on both national and […]
Policy Instruments to Promote Refillable Beverage Containers
19 July 2016 – Refillable beverage containers have an important role to play in the circular economy. Aside from the environmental benefits, refillable systems offer tremendous economic benefits in terms of material cost savings and job creation, which are multiplied with each refill. Despite these benefits, the market share of beverages in refillable packaging has […]
Dispatches from Europe: Why Container Deposit Systems are Gaining Ground
29 June 2016 – Since being introduced to the market, single-use beverage containers have caused much debate – both in the beverage industry and among politicians and the public. A simple question sits at the center of the arguing: What’s the most efficient way to collect beverage containers for high-quality recycling? Though there are many who continue to […]
Studies confirm that Container Deposit Systems show big net savings to municipal budgets
7 June 2016 – As more countries consider deposit-return (DRS) as a means to reduce litter and encourage recycling of beverage containers, many are questioning the impacts that such a system would have on municipalities, particularly those that have an existing source separation program in place. The main argument put forward by opponents is that […]
Dispatches from Europe: A Rush of Regulations on Plastic Bags
2 June 2016 – An iconic symbol of our linear, throwaway economy, single-use plastic bags are a major source of environmental pollution, especially in marine environments where animals are often injured or killed after becoming entangled or ingesting plastic bags mistaken for food. According to the European Commission, an estimated 100 billion plastic carrier bags […]
Q&A with Clarissa Morawski: Interview with Recupera Magazine
Last month, Clarissa sat down for an interview with Recupera Magazine to discuss her ideas on the circular economy, and what she would do, as Managing Director of Reloop, to improve the EU’s Circular Economy Package. To read a full transcript of the interview (available in Spanish only), click here.
Dispatches from Europe: Why revamping recycling measurement is no simple task
10 May 2016 – This second column in Resource Recycling’s monthly Dispatches from Europe series takes a closer look at the EU’s calculation methodology for recycling and reuse targets. EU member states can currently calculate their recycling rates using four different methods, each at different stages of the recycling process. This makes it impossible to […]
Dispatches from Europe: Circular Economy Explained
15 March 2016 – In the first of a series of columns digging into the details of sustainability and materials recovery abroad, Clarissa explains how the European Commission is legislating the circular economy and what it means for the recycling industry. Read the article in Resource Recycling magazine here.
Looking Ahead: A Closer look at Targets in Europe’s Circular Economy Package
18 May 2016 – In December of last year, the European Commission released its long-awaited Circular Economy Package (CEP), a package of actions and legislative amendments intended to stimulate Europe’s transition to a stronger and more circular economy. This follows the Commission’s withdrawal of the original CEP in December 2014, with the promise to put forward […]
